Setting tool



L. M. PEARCE Feb. 26, 1935.

SETTING TOOL Filed March 29, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l L. M. PEARCE Feb;- 26, 1935.

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ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1935 PATE'NT OFFICE SETTING TOOL Louis M. Pearce, Houston, Tex., assignor to Texas Iron Works SalesCorporation, Houston, Tex.,

a corporation of Texas Application March 29, 1929, Serial No. 350,907

10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a setting tool. One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described whereby a packer between an outside pipe, or casing, and an inside pipe, or liner, in a well, may be quickly and easily set, and the tool then readily released and withdrawn from the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the character described'whereby the packer may be securely maintained in nonexpanded position while the same is being lowered into the well, and the parts then adjusted by a partial rotation of the operating string to permit the setting, or expanding, of the packer,

and the withdrawal of the tool.

A further feature of the invention is to pro-- vide a setting tool of the character described whose operative parts may be connected together to maintain the packer in non-expanded position,

and disconnected to permit the packer to expand, without employing interconnecting threads to connect and disconnect said parts.

With the above and other objects in view this invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a vertical sectional view of the upper end of the setting tool.

Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional View of the lower end thereof.

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary side elevation,

85 partially in section.

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3.

I Figure 7 shows a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the screen, set shoe and wash pipe associated therewith.

Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 shows a side elevation of the complete assembly.

Referring now more paricularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1 designates a casing in a well bore and the numeral 2 designates the operating stem, or string of pipe, which extends up to the ground surface and through which the packer and the setting tool are handled. A collar 3 is screwed onto the lower end of this stem and connects the inside coupling 4 thereto. The lower end of this collar is flared and has a packing ring 3 therein and the lower end of the coupling 4 has an annular packing ring 5 therearound seated in the groove 6 and there are the channels 7, which lead down from the upper end of said coupling through which fluid under pressure may enter said groove behind the ring 5 and force said packing ring into close contact with the setting nipple 8within the'upper end of which the lower end of said coupling is adapted to fit. There is a tubular mandrel 9 whose upper end is screwed into the coupling 4 and whose construction and use'will be hereinafter described.

The lower end 10 of the setting nipple is detachable and has the inside downwardly tapering, or converging seat 11 and fits over the upper end of the tubular packer support 12. The upper end of said support has the external downwardly pitched annular teeth 13 and there are the downwardly tapering, wedge shaped slips 14 seated on the seat 11 and whose inner sides have the upwardly pitched teeth 15 adapted to engage the teeth 13. The lower end of the packer support is threaded into the upper end of the coupling 16 and a collar .17 connects said coupling to the upper end of the liner, or inside pipe 18 beneath, which extends to the bottom of the bore and which usually includes the conventional screen of any preferred construction and provided for the purpose of permitting the inflow of oil into the liner but excluding sand and the like.

The lower end of the packer support 12 is screwed into the upper end of the coupling 16 and an expansible sleevelike packer l9 surrounds said support and has its lower end secured around the upper end of the coupling 16 and its upper end secured around the lower end 10 of said setting nipple 8.

The mandrel 9 may be extended any desired distance beneath the packer and its lower end is formed with an enlarged head 9' which fits closely within the lower end of the coupling 16 and has the surrounding expansible ring 20 seated in the annular groove 21 therearound.

Channels 22 lead up from the lower end of the mandrel into the groove 21 through which fluid under pressure may be admitted within said ring 20 to keep the same expanded out against the Jalls of the coupling 16.

The conventional wash pipe 23 extends down through the coupling 4 and the mandrel 9 for the purpose of conveying .a washing fluid down to wash the screen in the well known manner, said ilflings 5 and serving to prevent leakage of said uid.

The string of pipe has an internal annular groove 24 whose upper side 25 converges upwardly and whose lower side forms an abrupt annular shoulder 26. This groove 24 may be beneath the packer preferably in the coupling 16.

Around the mandrel there is a releasable locking sleeve, designated generally by the numeral 27. The lower end of this sleeve rests on the shoulder 26 and the upper end of the head 9, as shown in Figure 2, when in looking position, and

its said lower end is thickened and its external contour is of a form to fit snugly into and conform to the shape of the groove 24. This sleeve is provided with spaced vertical slits 28 from its lower end up to near its upper end so as to make it expansible and its lower end is held expanded and locked in said groove 24 by said mandrel. When in the position above described and shown in Figures 1 and 2 the stem 2 and the liner 18, and screen attached thereto, will be held in substantially rigid relation, through the mandrel 9 and there will be no danger of the packer 19 being set, or expanded, prematurely as the apparatus is being let down into the bore, the lower end of the locking sleeve 27 being held locked in the groove 24 by said mandrel but while so locked the stem 2 and mandrel 9 will have a limited longitudinal movement for the purpose of elevating the wash pipe as hereinafter described.

The lower end of the mandrel 9 has the oppositely disposed expander jaws 29, 29, immediateturned, in corresponding directions, circumferentially around the mandrel over the respective depressions 30, 30 thus forming the arcuate ribs,

or stops, 32, 32, with the arcuate spaces 33, 33

between them which are arranged in staggered relation with and which, in efiect, form continuations of the respective spaces, or guideways 30, 30. The upper end of the locking sleeve 27 forms a continuous ring 34 having the inwardly extending arcuate flanges 35, 35 with the oppositely disposed, arcuate notches 36, 36 between said flanges'35. On opposite sides of the mandrel and spaced above the upper end of the sleeve 27 and in approximately vertical alignment with the expander jaws 29, 29 are the guides 37, 37 having the spiralled or beveled lower guide edges 38, 38.

When the apparatus is let down into the bore with the liner set on the bottom of the bore and with the packer 19 within the lower end of the casing 1 the packer is then located at the desired point to be set. The stem 2 and the mandrel 9 may then be lowered relative to the sleeve 27- until the inwardly projecting shoulders 39, 39, at the lower end of the locking sleeve 27, and which are located in the spaces 30, 30, are engaged by the corresponding ribs 32, 32 and the stem and mandrel are then turned to carry the spaces 33, 33 above said shoulders 39,39. Meanwhile the sleeve 27 is held against turning by the key 40 which projects inwardly from the cou- 91in: 16 into the vertical key. 41 of said sleeve.

The stem and mandrel may then be turther lowered. When the external annular shoulder of the mandrel passes beneath the lower end 02 the sleeve 27 said sleeve will be permitted to contract so that it may be released from the coupling 16, as hereinafter explained. As the stem is lowered the collar 3 will engage against and force the setting nipple 8 downwardly and this will operate to expand the packer 19 out against the surrounding casing 1 and form a iiuid tight joint therewith.

The dogs 14 will engage the teeth of the packer support and hold thepacker inexpanded positibn.

As the mandrel is further lowered, to expand the packer 19, as above stated, the guides 37 will pass through the notches 36, of the sleeve 27 and the guiding edges thereof will ride against the corresponding ends of said notches which will operate to turn the mandrel to carry the ribs 32 into alignment under the flanges 35 and by an upward pull the stem, mandrel and locking sleeve may be removed from the bore leaving the packer set. As the mandrel is withdrawn the collar ilthe flanges 35 and the sleeve 27 will be thus carried out when the stem and mandrel are withdrawn from the bore.

V In some cases the wash pipe 23 will not be used and in such case should the well come in, that is, should it start flowing while the packer setting tool is still in the well, the fluid will flow in through the screen and mandrel 9 and up through said stem to the ground surface, the rings 5 and 20 forming tight joints so as to prevent the escape of the fluid out into the casing 1 and in such event the stem and packer setting tool need not be withdrawn until it becomes necessary to pump the well. A packing ring similar to the ring 20 or some similar type of packing or closure between the mandrel, and packer support, or means to close the space between the wash pipe and packer support, if a wash pipe is used, is very important as otherwise part of the oil flowing under strong pressure would pass up between the casing 1 and the operating string 2, and would leak out through the leaks in the casing, in case the casing joints were not sufiiciently tight to prevent leakage, and inasmuch as this oil would usually contaih grit and sand the casing openings would be enlarged and the leaks would. increase. Furthermore, gas accumulating in the well would pass out into the casing and up through said casing. This packing forces the oil to flow up through the operating string 2 uritil the well ceases to flow under pressure and the operating string is withdrawn and the well is placed on a pump and the accumulating gas is prevented .from passing outwardly into the casing by said packing means and is also forced to pass up through the operating string and assists in discharging the oil from the well. The packing 5 and 20 also prevents sand from collecting within the packer support and interfering with the operation of the setting tool. 7 When the wash pipe 23 is employed its lower end is seated in the conventional wash ring 44 of the ordinary set shoe 45 at the bottom of the screen and when so seated in said ring the fluid flowing into the screen can not enter said wash pipe. When the wash pipe is so seated in the wash ring the collar 41 may be some distance above the coupling 4 and in case the well comes in as above explained the lower end of the wash pipe should be lifted off of the wash ring so as to permit the fluid to enter and flow upwardly through said wash pipe. To make provision for this I have provided in the coupling 4 adownwardly converging seat 42 with wedge shaped slips 43 therein. When the stem is lowered as hereinabove explained to set the collar 3 against the setting nipple 8 the slips 43 will permit the coupling 4 to move downwardly relative to the wash pipe and in order to lift the lower end of the wash pipe out of the wash ring the stem 2 may be moved upwardly and the slips. 43 will engage and move the wash pipe 23 upwardly with said stem and it will be held in said upper position by the wedge shaped slips 46 which are seated in a downwardly converging seat 47 in the ring 48. This ring 48 is secured at a suitable place in or above, the screen, beneath the packer. The stem 2 is then lowered until the collar 3 again seats on the nipple 8. The fluid will then flow from the surrounding stratum through the screen and thence up through the wash pipe and stem 2, and the packing rings and 20 will prevent any leakage of the fluid out into the casing. However, before the packer is set if it be desired to elevate the wash pipe this may be done by a longitudinal reciprocation of the setting tool.

The drawings and description merely illustrate and describe the invention, by way of example, and it is contemplated that mechanical changes and adaptations may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:- p

1. The combination with a tubing adapted to be set in a well bore and having a smooth, annular internal seat, of an operating string, a mandrel attached to said string and having an external expander, a locking sleeve between the mandrel and tubing and formed to engage in said seat and to allow the mandrel and string only a limited longitudinal movement relative to the tubing, said mandrel, when in one position being efiective by said expander to hold said sleeve in such locking position, and when in another position releasing the expander from the sleeve to allow said mandrel and string a further longitudinal movement relative to the tubing, an expansible packer connected to the tubing and positioned to be expanded by the string upon downward movement of said string.

2. The combination with a tube adapted to be set in a well bore of an operating string, a mandrel attached to the string and depending therefrom, a locking sleeve around the mandrel, releasable interengaging means carried'by said sleeve and tube respectively, said mandrel being rotatable, with the string, into one position to lock said means in interengage position so as to allow only a limited relative longitudinal movement of the tube and string, and into another position to effect the release of said means to permit the free downward movement of the mandrel and string relative to said tube, and interengaging means carried by said sleeve and mandrel, respectively which are arranged to interengage upon a predetermined downward movement of the mandrel and through which the sleeve may be withdrawn from the bore upon the withdrawal of the string and mandrel.

3. The combination with a tubing adapted to be set in a well bore, of an operating string,

a mandrel attached to said string, means around and loosely mountedon the mandrel for interlocking the mandrel with said tubing, to limit the relative longitudinal movement thereof, said means being formed to be released by a partial rotation, only, of the mandrel relative to said tubing to permit the free longitudinal movement of said mandrel relative to the tubing, an expansible packer'associated with the tubing and located above said interlocking means and arranged to be expanded by the string upon the downward movement of the string relative to the tubing.

4. In a packer setting tool, a mandrel, an expansible sleeve around the lower end of the mandrel and longitudinally movable relative thereto, a tubular member through which the mandrel works, said tubular member being disposed around said sleeve and expanding means on the mandrel, movable into one position to expand the sleeve into engagement with said tubular memher, and movable into another position to permit said sleeve tocontract said mandrel having a limited longitudinal movement relative to the tubular member when the sleeve is engaged with said member.

5. In a packer and setting tool a tubular packer support, an expansible packer thereon, a mandrel co-axial with said support, an expander on the mandrel having a smooth, external, face, an expansible member around the mandrel having means engageable with the tubular support when said expansible member is expanded, said expansible member having a smooth, inside annular seat, said mandrel being movable in one direction to cause said expander face to wedge against said seat to expand said expansible member to cause said member to engage said support, said mandrel having a limited longitudinal movement relative to the support when the expansible member is in engagement with said support and said mandrel being movable in another direction to release said expander from said seat to permit said expansible member to contract and release said support to permit the free downward movement of the mandrel, a setting nipple above the packer and means movable downwardly, upon such release, to actuate said nipple whereby the packer is expanded.

6. In a packer and setting tool, a tubular packer support, an expansible packer thereon, a mandrel arranged to work in said support, an expander on the mandrel, an expansible member' around the mandrel arranged to be expanded by said expander and having means engageable with the support when said expansible member is ex-, panded, said mandrel being movable downwardly, relative to said expansible member, to release said expander from the expansible member to permit the member to contract and release the support,

means for expanding the packer upon the downward movement of the mandrel, interlocking means on the expansible member and mandrel, means on the mandrel and expansible member effective to cause rotation of the mandrel relative to the expansible member, upon-said downward packer to expand the same on downward movement oi the string, means for locking the man drel with the support to allow only a limited slid ing movement of the mandrel relative to the support without efiecting the expansion of the packor, said mandrel being further movable to efiect the release of the locking means and to efiect the expansion of said packer.

d. In combination a tubular support, a packer on said support, a mandrel co-a rial with said support, and extended down into the support be neath the packer, an expahsible tubular member around the mandrel engageable with said tubular support, when expanded, and means on the mandrel between said mandrel and expansible member movable into one position to hold said expanslble member in engagement with said support, and to allow a limited longitudinal movement of the mandrel relative to the support and movable into another position to permit said member to contract and rclease said support to allow the iree downward movement of the mandrel, a setting nipple above the packer and means connected td the mandrel and movable downwardly with the mandrel, upon such release, into menses contact with said nipple whereby said packer is expanded.

9. Apparatus of the character described cont prising a tubular support, an expansible packing device on the upper end of the support, a setting tool through which the packing device may be expanded, upon downward movement of the tool, said tool and support having interlocking parts arranged to permit a limitedlongitudinal movement of the tool relative to the support and packing device, and means to release the interlocking parts upon a rotary movement of the tool to allow further downward movement of the setting tool to expand the packing device and to allow the tool to be withdrawn from the support.

10. In combination an expansible packing device, including a packer, a setting tool, means for scouring the setting tool to the packing device,

said tool having a limited sliding movement relative to the packing device, said securing means being releasable upon rotation of said setting tool to allow further movement of the tool to efiect the expansion of the packer and to permit the withdrawal of said tool.

' LOUIS M. PEARCE. 

